An Irishman has had his life threatening brain tumor destroyed without the need for surgery.

The brain tumor was destroyed by the revolutionary new treatment of gamma radiation.
Jim Brown had his potentially fatal brain tumor zapped by a gamma knife which is able to destroy abnormal tissue, with exact precision.

The 50-year-old father-of-two began treatment for his tumor in 2005 which involved the dissection of his skill during a grueling five-hour surgery. After the procedure he spent more than two weeks in hospital and was not permitted to drive for several months.

However earlier this year a scan revealed that a new tumor had formed but this time the Belfast man was able to avail of the non-invasive 55-minute procedure and within days he was back on the gold course.

After a routine MRI scan revealed an abnormality known as miningioma, Brown was referred to St Jame’s hospital in Leeds , where the procedure was performed.

"I was told that the location and size of the new growth made me a classic case for the gamma knife," he explained.

"My wife, Karen, accompanied me on the flight from Belfast and stayed with me at the on-site accommodation at the hospital. I was assessed on the Wednesday, had the procedure on the Thursday, and was well enough to fly back home on the Friday."

The gold lover made a speedy recovery and was back on the course within days.

Dr Thomas Flannery, trained in gamma knife machine in the University of Pittsburgh and describes it as one of the biggest success stories in the medial world

"It adds an extra dimension to the treatment options for patients with a range of brain conditions," Flannery told the Belfast Telegraph.

"There is only a handful of gamma knives operating in the UK and the Leeds centre is the newest, home to the most advanced machine of its kind in the world.

"As patient volumes grow, it is hoped that this collaboration with Leeds will pave the way for Belfast to acquire its own gamma knife and create a specialist unit for the treatment of people locally."